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Southern California life centres on its beaches, and unlike in so many places, most Los Angeles area beaches are easily accessible by the general public.

This guide will help you pick the Los Angeles area beaches you'll enjoy most, from Zuma Beach at the north end of Malibu to San Onofre at the southern tip of Orange County.

All have good surf, unless otherwise mentioned. All are along or near California Highway 1, except Santa Catalina, San Clemente, and San Onofre.

Some "quality beach time" is a must for any visitor to southern California.

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Just north (actually just west) of Malibu, you'll find Zuma Beach County Park.

This offers a wide and wonderful beach with great surf and facilities.

Beyond Pepperdine University, along Pacific Coast Highway, California Highway 1, in Malibu, you'll pass several public beaches, but continue on to Zuma Beach, the cool place to bask along these shores.

Although very popular with the teen and university crowd, Zuma is also a great family beach. There's room for everyone.

At Zuma, you'll find varying age groups and interests occupying specific areas of sand. Find your mates, or integrate.

In southern California more than in anyplace else in the world, people group themselves by leisure time interests more than by family background or economic status. Surfers with surfers. Harley bikers with Harley bikers. Swing dancers with the same, etc. This allows more social mobility than in most areas of the world.

One thing these groups agree on is the Zuma is one of the finest California beaches.

Much of Malibu has very limited beach access (unless you are wealthy enough to own one of its beach front homes), unusual in California, which prides itself on its miles of free beach parks.

Note, however, that marked public pathways exist between some beach homes that give access to the water. Time your use with low tide, and don't venture too close to the homes.

However, Malibu has a number of regular public beaches.

By far, the most interesting of these is Malibu Surfriders State Beach.

This comes up when you reach the Malibu Pier, the second most filmed pier in the world, just beyond the 22800 block of Pacific Coast Highway. (The Santa Monica Pier is the most filmed pier in the world having been featured in seemingly most BayWatch episodes, Ruthless People, etc.)

Officially named Malibu Lagoon State Beach, everyone calls this Surfriders Beach, as the surf along this point often facilitates long rides, which are a joy to watch.

Parking in this area is difficult to find, but worth the trouble.

Along the point, in the distance to the left, is the famed "Malibu Colony," one of the original clusters of celebrity homes in Malibu. A gatehouse prevents non-guest access, but you can easily walk along its beach at low tide. Again, don't get too close to the homes, unless you want to be charged with trespassing by the police.

The closest beach to the many of the wealthier areas of Los Angeles, Will Rogers State Beach attracts a lively, fun crowd.

The sand at Will Rogers Beach is beige, but not as beige or tan as the bodies that hang out there.

You reach Will Rogers by heading north (actually west) along Pacific Coast Highway (California Highway 1) from Santa Monica.

Just below Ocean Avenue and Palisades Park in Santa Monica lies Santa Monica State Beach, which is a fine, wide beach, with great facilities.

A nice thing about Santa Monica Beach is its proximity to the many restaurants and cafes on the palisades above.

The highlight of Santa Monica Beach is its pier, which offers all the usual amusements in a wholesome atmosphere.

Santa Monica Beach tends to be more crowded than some of the others on warm days because it's so easy to reach by public transportation from much of Los Angeles. It's a big, big beach, however, so there's always room for everyone.

To reach Santa Monica Beach, take Interstate 10 westbound from anywhere. This highway literally ends at the beach.

On the other hand, as thronged as Santa Monica Beach may be, the real action takes place next door at Venice Beach. This is the most unusual beach in California.

Venice is a trip. By this, Dr. Voyageur does not mean a drug trip, although to some of its denizens Venice Beach may be that type of trip.

Instead, the doctor means Venice Beach is the distillation of every eccentric behaviour in southern California.

We're not talking of Middle America here. Venice is way out———way, way out. Venice is fun, at least for a limited time.

Alas, most people shy away from the wide beach itself, probably due to the homeless persons and dogs parked there.

The crowds stay along the famed Venice boardwalk, with offers a psychedelic carnival atmosphere, especially on weekends. If you're familiar with the St. Marks Place neighbourhood of Manhattan, this is it—with sun.

A highlight along the boardwalk is the Muscle Beach area, one of the few places where you can see people lifting 500 pounds outdoors. The basketball courts in this outdoor recreation centre were used in the film "White Men Can't Jump."

Be careful in Venice.

Inland from the main streets that parallel the sea, Main Street and Pacific Avenue, you are not safe day or night, and the beach area itself requires extra attention to safety in the evening.

The Venice motels and hostels near the beach are not recommended due to the evening and nighttime safety issue. However, do visit Venice Beach during the day, which is one of the most fascinating neighbourhoods in the U.S.

Some readers may be wondering how Venice got its name. Its developers laid out a series of canals as a promotional stunt, but most have been filled in or left to cog up due to inattention.

For years, Venice was the cheap place to live on the beach in Los Angeles, but that just couldn't last in the current real estate market.

Borrowing famous names for its cities is a tradition in southern California. Just over ten miles to the east of Venice is the neighbourhood of Florence, in South Central Los Angeles, where you should exercise extreme caution. South Central, however, includes the vibrant University of Southern California, the Watts Towers, athletic facilities from two Olympic games, and other sights worth visiting.

Northeast of the Los Angeles city centre is the wealthy enclave of San Marino, adjacent to Alhambra, another European transplant. Much of Steve Martin's Father of the Bride remakes were filmed in San Marino. Out on the desert, you'll find Johannesburg, Bombay Beach—and Mecca.

Californians merely borrow names. Arizonans, on the other hand, lift actual icons, as they did with the London Bridge, which was transferred to Lake Havasu City, along the Colorado River, stone by stone. The real estate developers of Lake Havasu City thought they were buying the much more impressive Tower Bridge. True story!

Just south of LAX Airport lie the cities of El Segundo, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, and Redondo Beach, all home to many single airline employees, who hang out on the beaches there between flights. Although airline employees have grown older over the years, this is still a great area to meet singles in their 20s.

This area is also where the quintessential California beach band, the Beach Boys, formed.

Probably the nicest of these cities is Hermosa Beach.

Hermosa Beach has a fine hostel, the Surf City Hostel, 26 Pier Avenue, at the beach.

Hermosa makes an excellent base if you want to hang close to LAX to rest up from a long flight for several days. However, it is not nearly as convenient for sightseeing as staying in Santa Monica, which has the excellent Santa Monica Hostel. The Surf City Hostel is best for those with cars, unless relaxing on the beach for several days is your primary goal. Surf City does offer tours.

Note that much of the area east of El Segundo, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, and LAX Airport can be unsafe, day or night.

Long Beach

Long Beach does not have significant surf due to breakwaters.

Huntington Beach — Surf City USA

In Orange County, not too far from Disneyland, the city of Huntington Beach prides itself on being a fine centre of surf culture, including youth orientated nightlife.

In many ways, Huntington Beach is a far more typical southern California beach town than some discussed here.

Its outstanding feature is one of the best beaches in the U.S., which is preserved as Huntington State Beach.

If you're travelling with teenagers, are university age, or a kid at heart, Huntington Beach is for you.

Among the attractions on Huntington Beach are some of the most beautiful people you will ever see. Living on the edge with too much sun exposure may cause people to age too quickly in southern California, but while still young they often look outstanding with their tans and sculptured bodies.

Be sure to visit the International Surfing Museum while here.

Huntington Beach makes a good base for visiting Orange County attractions such as Disneyland and Knotts Berry Farm, as long as you have a car. You'll be fighting traffic, however.

A nice hostel in Huntington Beach is Huntington Beach Hostel, four blocks from the beach.

Newport Beach

Wealthy Newport Beach, the former home of John Wayne, comes next.

Somehow, for the most part, like its most famous former resident, Newport avoids pretension.

Where Newport Bay runs into the sea is the famous wedge, a very popular surfing spot, which is worth visiting to watch some amazing rides or try them yourself, if brave and qualified.

For such a wealthy town, Newport supports a vibrant youth-orientated beach culture.

You'll find this on the long point going out toward the bay entrance.

From southbound Highway 1, veer right onto Balboa Boulevard and continue until the bay entrance, stopping at the Newport Pier, etc.

Parking is a real problem on in this area, so arrive early.

Laguna Beach

Laguna Beach, once a picturesque art colony, no longer offers affordable accommodation to starving artists and young travellers.

It's still very much worth visiting.

The moneyed live here now, but the town retains some of its bohemian feel.

Unlike most Los Angeles area beaches, Laguna beaches are set in a series of coves, which makes them quite pleasant. At times, you may feel that you're on the Italian Riviera.

If you can afford it, Laguna Beach is a nice place to stay.

San Clemente State Beach

South of Laguna, you find staid old San Clemente, which lately has become more lively.

The San Clemente Amtrak Station sits right on San Clemente Beach on the Amtrak route between Los Angeles and San Diego. Literally, you get off the train several steps from the sand.

Amtrak makes visiting this beach easy from the Disneyland area. Depart from the Amtrak station in Anaheim or Fullerton.

Richard Nixon country

On the hill, just south of San Clemente's main beach sits Casa Blanca, Richard Nixon's former western White House. Photos of President Nixon strolling along the beach below, pondering the affairs of state, used to be de rigueur.

Nixon was born and raised in Orange County, and loved to vacation at this beach and at one near Miami. Once an Orange County beach kid, always an Orange County kid!

Not too far away, you'll find the Richard Nixon Library and burial place at 18001 Yorba Linda Boulevard in the city of the same name, near Fullerton and where Nixon was born. Found at the library are the modest Nixon boyhood home (moved there) and an interesting collection of presidential memorabilia.

Say what you will about him, but Nixon to his credit was born poor and never gained the wealth some politicians have by misusing their positions. In fact, after leaving the White House, the so-called Tricky Dick refused all activities he considered unseemly, including some that could have made his wife, Pat, him, and his daughters a very wealthy family.

This may not make up for the crimes of Watergate, which were probably prompted by wretched paranoia and not greed, but it is a tribute to his character.

San Onofre State Beach

Just beyond San Clemente comes the Camp Pendleton Marine Base, a major U.S. Marine training base, which is especially ideal for practising beach landings. Obviously, keep out.

However, San Onofre State Beach, on the camp border, remains open to the public, and its nuclear power plant adds a sense of adventure to a beach sojourn.

At the very south end of San Onofre lies the only tolerated clothing optional beach area in Los Angeles or Orange (or Santa Barbara) counties.

However, two points. One, check the current status before disrobing. Policies change. Two, don't venture beyond this area into Camp Pendleton, which is marked by signs.

Going topless in Southern California

Surprisingly, for such a culturally liberal area, at all other beaches mentioned in the Los Angeles area and Orange County, females should not go topless, unless local policies have changed.

You'll get fined and perhaps even jailed.

Catalina Island

A favourite local beach lies off the coast.

A fine warmer weather experience is a cruise to Catalina Island, the former home of the Wrigley gum family.

"Twenty-six miles across the sea, Santa Catalina awaits for me. Santa Catalina, the island of romance, romance, romance, romance . . .."

This ditty may overstate the experience—at least overstate the experience of Dr. Voyageur—and it certainly overstates the distance of 22 miles—but the trip to Catalina is a pleasant one, unless you easily get seasick in the often rough waters of this cruise.

Boats leave from San Pedro (Los Angeles harbour), Long Beach, and Newport Beach. You may find discount coupons at your hotel or hostel. Tour buses transport you to the pier.

Once at Catalina, glass bottom boat tours are available, and it is pleasant to walk around the town of Avalon, the port of entry, or to sun on a beach near the dock, although this side of the island has little or no surf.

You'll enjoy cruising one way during the day and the going back the other way at sunset and dusk to see the lights of the Los Angeles area come on.

The Wrigley gum family willed that most of the island remain natural, at a very considerable potential financial loss to them, much to our benefit.

Avoid drowning at California beaches

Zuma, Malibu Surfriders, Santa Monica, and to some degree most beaches mentioned here face south—or somewhat south—and thus can get their highest surf during the summer and autumn Mexico hurricane season.

Be careful when the waves are large! They slam down hard—very hard.

In fact, use extra care at nearly all Pacific Coast beaches, as these are known for their powerful "rip tides."

These are not tides, but instead strong currents that run from the shoreline out toward the open sea.

When gripped in these, swimmers panic and exhaust themselves by trying to swim against the current to reach shore.

Instead, remember that rip tides run in narrow bands.

The secret is swimming perpendicular to the current—not against it—until out of its grip. Then swim toward shore in the calmer waters.

Keep in mind, too, that rip tides usually quickly lose momentum and turn back toward shore.

Thus, in many cases, you can just relax, float , and eventually be taken back toward shore.

Good advice is to swim near lifeguards, but keep in mind that it is not realistic to expect a guard to keep track of the fate of hundreds of people at one time.

You must take responsibility for your own safety by staying within your aquatic ability in surf as rough as southern California's.

Note, too, that, unlike in Florida, no continental shelf keeps the water shallow for long distances from shore. Thus, keep a close eye on children.

You'll love southern California beaches, but use some care.

For more introduction to your L.A. area visit:

Go to >> Introduction to your visit
Go to >> Choosing your base
Go to >> Santa Monica
Go to >> Why L.A. is so unique

For additional L.A. information:

Go to >> Off the beaten track L.A.
Go to >> L.A. at night
Go to >> Disneyland
Go to >> Links to the most useful information

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